The other day I discussed the implications of Anthony Lampe's The Background of Professional Baseball in St. Louis, which appeared in the October 1950 issue of the Missouri Historical Society's Bulletin. One of the more interesting things Lampe wrote about was the early origin of professionalism in St. Louis, which contradicted the conventional wisdom regarding when St. Louis baseball players first started playing for pay but agreed with some of the conclusions that I've made after looking at the evidence. However, I only shared a bit of what Lampe wrote and, since he had more to say on the subject, I'd like to share some more of his fantastic article:

A few conclusions may be drawn from the 1868 season. Because of the great interest in the game, St. Louis was obviously destined to enter professional baseball at an early date; early in the season the Unions had actually been professionals, as their sole occupation was playing baseball. Secondly, Chicago emerged as the natural rival of St. Louis as the key city of the midwest, which would soon challenge them on the diamond, as Eastern clubs had already done. Thirdly, St. Louis teams lacked only a stronger managerial system to get the players in shape and keep them that way. The desire for a strong team to represent the city was present, but for some years no organizing genius appeared to take over, partly because of the incompatibility of baseball and gambling. As baseball grew, betting increased, and gamblers soon had control of the game.

After noting a anti-professional article that appeared in a St. Louis paper in 1870, he went on to write that "This article was undoubtedly printed in the local papers to cast reflections on professional ball players. Because no individual had yet come forward with the will--and the capital--to bring a professional team to St. Louis, local ball fans were anti-professional, in a sort of sour-grape attitude."

The most important piece of information in Lampe's article is his conclusion that the Union club was paying its players in the late 1860s. I agree with this conclusion and would add that the Empire club was also most likely compensating its players in some form during this period. Lampe also believed that this experiment in professionalism was a failure. He wrote that "When the [1868] season opened the Union Club had been determined to engage in no other work but that of baseball, but as the season progressed game attendance fell off, because of the poor showing of the team. Lacking financial resources, the team members were forced to find some other means of employment." The "poor showing" that he was talking about was not the overall performance of the club but rather their showing against the Eastern professional clubs that came to St. Louis in 1868 and handily defeated the best clubs in the city.

I agree that the poor showing against the Eastern professionals had a negative effect on baseball in St. Louis. However, the reason I believe this is different than the reason that Lampe believed it. Lampe wrote about the lack of a strong managerial system and the lack of a willful individual to shape professional baseball in St. Louis. I believe that St. Louis had several individuals who shaped the game during the pioneer era and could be described as strong, willful managers. Specifically, Asa Smith was a man who had an important impact on St. Louis baseball and helped evolve the game in a positive, forward manner. Smith attempted to institute a plan to put St. Louis baseball on an even footing with the best clubs in the East but this plan floundered and died after the Unions suffered defeat upon defeat at the hands of the Eastern professionals. In my opinion, it wasn't a lack of visionary management that doomed the first attempt at creating a professional baseball market in St. Louis. Rather, it was the lack of success on the field that doomed the vision. Smith wanted his Union club to compete for the national championship but they simply were not good enough to do so. He overreached and failed. This failure tarnished the idea of professionalism in St. Louis.

I don't believe that it was the loses themselves that brought about the failure of Asa Smith's grand plan but rather what the losses said about the plan. There was a conflict during the pioneer era between the forces that advocated professionalism and the fans, players and clubs that were anti-professionalism. Smith was obviously on the right side of history but that wasn't evident in 1868. He advocate what, in St. Louis, were radical changes to the baseball landscape. Paying players, enclosed ballparks, charging for games, competing against the best clubs in the nation, joining the NABBP, creating a state baseball association, and other innovations which, while common in the East, were new and radical in St. Louis. There must have been forces lined up against him that fought these changes. There must have been forces that were hoping and waiting for him to fail so that they could go back to the old way of doing things.

I believe that, in the post-war era, Smith looked at the Eastern clubs, saw how they were doing things and attempted to re-create their organization plan in St. Louis. It was an attempt to bring St. Louis into the baseball mainstream that obviously failed. But that failure was not a result of a lack of managerial vision. If anything, the failure came about because Smith did not take the final, radical step needed to compete against the Eastern powers. Like the Brown Stockings in 1875, Smith should have looked to the East and bought himself the best players he could find. Interestingly, Brown Stockings' management was made up largely of former Union club members and they took the step that Smith did not. They finally succeeded in setting up a professional baseball club in St. Louis where Smith, their former club member, had failed. But the baseball world of 1875 was not the baseball world of 1868 and what was acceptable to Brown Stockings' management was just too radical for Smith and the Union club in 1868.

Smith, in 1868, took St. Louis baseball as far as he could. He recognized that the pioneer era was ending and the professional era was being born. Smith attempted to bring the old, pioneer era St. Louis clubs into the new age and, in certain ways, succeeded in doing so. The St. Louis baseball landscape was changed for better because of the work Smith did in the late 1860s. But it would take his former club mates to create a successful professional club and it would take a German tavern owner to create a business model that made professional baseball profitable in St. Louis.

In The Background of Professional Baseball in St. Louis, published in the Missouri Historical Society Bulletin of October 1850, Anthony Lampe makes a significant claim. He writes that "The year 1868 held promise of being a great season. Certain important changes had taken place since 1867. The Union Ball Players now had no occupation other than playing baseball, though they were still not referred to as professionals." While Lampe does not cite his source for this claim, it most likely came from the Missouri Republican, whose contemporary accounts of St. Louis baseball activity in the 1860s represent his primary source for the article.

I've claimed for sometime that St. Louis baseball players were being payed by the late 1860s. This stands in contrast to most descriptions of the St. Louis pioneer era, which described the city as a bastion of pure amateurism. My claim was, up to this point, entirely based on circumstantial evidence with little contemporary source material to support it.

The most important fact that led me to conclude that St. Louis players were being paid in the late 1860s was the establishment of the Union Grounds, the first enclosed ballpark in St. Louis and the first to which admission was charged. Lampe dates this to the beginning of 1868 while Edmund Tobias, writing in 1895, stated that the new ballpark opened in May of 1867. Regardless of whether it opened in 1867 or 1868, the fact that the Union Club was charging for admission to their games is sufficient evidence to support the idea that they were paying their players. The general thinking among 19th century baseball historians is that enclosed ballparks and admission charges were an indication that players were being paid. Where you find enclosed ballparks and admission charges, you find payers being paid.

There is other evidence that supports the idea that players in St. Louis were getting paid in the late 1860s. The relationship between the Empire Club and the St. Louis Fire Department implies that Empire Club players were being compensated for their play with jobs. Some of the player movement in the late 1860s, specifically Tom Oran's movement from the Unions to the Empires and, later, to the Red Stockings, is very suspicious and can be explained if one assumes monetary enticement. There were also some hints in the national sporting press that implied that the top St. Louis clubs were paying their players. Add all of this to the fact that the top clubs were charging money to see their teams play and a picture emerges of a culture of paying players that fits with what was happening nationally.

While the weight of evidence supports the idea that pioneer players in St. Louis were being paid, one must point out that when you see claims of St. Louis amateurism during this era, the word "amateur" does not mean what it means today. Today, an amateur club is one that does not pay their players. During the pioneer era, however, it implies that the club was not competing for the national baseball championship. A club that did not pay their players but competed for the national championship was a "professional" club while a club that paid their players but did not compete for the national championship was an "amateur" club. In that sense, St. Louis baseball clubs were all amateur clubs until 1875, when the Brown Stockings and Red Stockings joined the NA.

Over time this distinction was lost and, I believe, that has confused the issue when it comes to what was happening in St. Louis as far as player compensation is concerned. The idea that St. Louis clubs were not compensating their players may have arisen from the fact that they were described as amateurs because the clubs were not competing nationally. Modern historians may have picked up on the word "amateur" and given it a meaning that it did not originally have. Complicating the issue is the fact that Tobias and Al Spink also made claims that the players were not being compensated prior to 1875.

Regardless of the work of Tobias, Spink and modern historians like William Ryczek and Jon David Cash, the weight of the evidence supports the idea that St. Louis baseball players were being paid by 1867 or 1868. Lampe, who should be considered a significant figure among baseball historians of the 20th century, believed that to be true and, while he doesn't present the evidence for his assertion, it's significant that he ties baseball professionalism in St. Louis to the opening of the Union Grounds. It's entirely possible that I find this significant because it appears that Lampe supports my thinking but it can't be denied that he is the first source that I've discovered that explicitly stated that St. Louis players were being paid during the pioneer era.

In the end, we don't need Lampe to establish the idea that the pioneer players in St. Louis were being paid. I believe that the weight of the evidence, while circumstantial, is strong enough to support this on its own. But Lampe is a very creditable historian and his piece in the October 1850 Bulletin is a significant, if largely forgotten, historical work. I'd like to run down his sources and find that contemporary source that led him to make his claim but I don't believe it's absolutely necessary. Lampe's claim can be added to the rest of the evidence and only strengthens the idea that St. Louis baseball players were being paid in the late 1860s.

Note: I've doing a bit of research on Lampe and I've discovered that he was an expert on the 19th century St. Louis Fire Department, dating back to the antebellum era. I've pointed out that there was a relationship between the Empire Club and the StLFD that implies that the players were being compensated and, given Lampe's interest in both St. Louis pioneer-era baseball and the 19th century StLFD, I find it hard to believe that he wasn't aware of this connection. To me, this lends a great deal of credence to Lampe's claim. I have a feeling that the man saw the same evidence that I saw and came to the same conclusion.

The ludicrous always partakes of the unexpected and nowhere does the unexpected happen more frequently than on the ball field. One of the most laughable incidents occurred in a game between the Union and Hope Clubs played west of the Fair Grounds [in 1868], on which occasion the Union boys appeared in bright new uniform that had been ordered from the East. One of the Union nine selected for this game, Kieselhorst failed to put in an appearance, and Julius Smith was chosen to fill his position but the latter’s uniform had not materialized and he positively refused to go on the field without a uniform in which resolution he was determined, more particularly so, because he had escorted his sweetheart to the grounds and naturally desired to show up to the best advantage. Jule Smith and Kieselhorst were about the same height, but the former was of much larger and more muscular development. He was finally induced to don Kieselhort’s uniform and though it was a tight fit he was so anxious to show his lady love what a fine player he was that he put forth all his energy to outdo his fellow players. Jule Smith was a fine batter and when his time came he hit the ball with so much force that it went sailing way down centerfield while he himself flew like a winged Mercury to first base where he was encouraged to continue his running by the loud shouts of his companions “to make a home run.” At third base the shouts were more vociferous and urgent. Jule put in his best sprinting licks and landed safe at home amid the most terrific shouts ever heard on the ball field. When he recovered himself enough to look around it was to discover the players rolling around on the grass all convulsed with laughter and the game at a standstill. A friendly Indian, Rufus Lackland, came to his aid and escorted him to the dressing room where Jule was quickly brought to a realization of the fact that his pants had parted.

-E.H. Tobias, writing in The Sporting News (November 30, 1895)

I think this little story is a much better way to put the 1868 series of posts to bed than to have me write up some kind of ponderous essay on the significance of it all. If you've been following along, you already know my thinking as to the importance of the 1868 season and I'm not feeling the need to go over everything again. I'd rather just point out that Julius Smith, in a game that year, splint his pants while hitting a home run.

The result of the game between the light and heavy weights last Saturday, having proven unsatisfactory to the latter, they have challenged the "shrimps" for another contest, which was promptly accepted, by naming next Tuesday afternoon for the meeting...

We are surprised to note another defeat of the Empire Club; this time by the Aetna, in a score of 21 to 17.

The weather has been so cool of late, that we hardly expect to see much more "ball tossing" this season after the match above named...

-Missouri Republican, October 25, 1868

At long last, here we are at the end of the 1868 season. I didn't see any mention of the muffin rematch in the Republican, although I didn't look real hard for it.

I have one more thing I want to post from the 1868 season tomorrow and then we'll move on to something else.

Seldom have we been called upon to record a more entertaining and amusing game than that which took place Saturday afternoon at the St. Louis Base Ball Park, between the heavy and light weights of the honorary members of the Union and Empire Clubs. Owing to a want of due publication through the city press, and the cool state of the atmosphere, there was not so numerous an attendance as could have been expected; but those who were present were fully competent to judge of the merits of the game, and fully demonstrated their appreciation of it throughout its entire progress. Speculation was rife at the opening of the game, and, owing to the formidable appearance of the "Light Weights," with H. Clay Sexton as Captain, Chris. Overbeck, Col. Phil. Murphy, and Chief Engineer Bame as base man, the general opinion was entertained that victory would perch on their side. Notwithstanding the fact that they were short of two of their heaviest players, Messrs. De Bar and Stout, whose positions were filled by very competent substitutes, the "heavy weights" were marshalled by P.H. Tobin, Esq., and exhibited much confidence in a successful result, as they numbered among them some players of ancient reputation. Considerable time was lost in making decision for the choice of position by the respective field captains, owing to the inability to find a piece of coin suitably large for the occasion, to make a legendary "toss-up," which finally was decided by sending the "light-weights" to the bat, who succeeded in making only two runs, while their opponents were able to score nine. The second innings betrayed a weakness in the batting of the "little ones," as also did the third and fourth, and demonstrated fully the superiority of the "big boys," both in the field and at the bat. From this time throughout the entire game it was evident to everyone that victory would inevitably be given to the "Big Boys." Never before has there been exhibited on a base ball field a finer display of "ground and lofty tumbling." Messrs. Overbeck and Sexton of the "Light Weights," particularly distinguished themselves by "agitating the dust" and showing a remarkable degree of agility. Too much praise cannot be given to Overbeck for his fine play at third base, by which he captured five of his adversaries, and for the ease and grace with which he recovered himself from a too sudden encounter with the ball. In this connection Messrs. Murphy, Beggs and Joel are also deserving of special mention.

On the part of the "Heavy" or "Big Boys" Messrs. Fruin, Tobin, Parie and Soulari bore off the honors in their various positions. The greatest good humor and mirth prevailed through the game, at the close of which the winning nine were made the recipients of an elegantly stained and very petite bat, measuring some seven feet in length and weighing something short of 100 lbs., which was conveyed from the grounds by a special committee of the victors.

Owing to the lateness of the hour but eight innings were played, and resulted in a score of

31 for Little Boys.67 for Big Fellows.Umpire - Mr. J. Stinson.

-Missouri Republican, October 18, 1868

That's a lot of inch to expend on a muffin game, especially when you consider that there were a lot of match games in 1868 that didn't get that kind of coverage.

The mention of Jeremiah Fruin, who played for the fat team in this game, reminds me to post this:

The most important event of the year and the one most fraught with fatal consequences to the Empire Club was the retirement of Jerry Fruin from active service early in the season were by the club became as it were a ship without a helm. His loss, added to that of Duffy, which left the Empire weak in the catcher’s position, were the two main causes that contributed to the loss of the championship.

The long-looked-for match game between the two leading clubs of St. Louis - the Empire and the Union - took place yesterday afternoon at the St. Louis Base Ball Park, attracting a large number of spectators, who manifested much interest through-out the entire game.

The friends of both clubs have been anxiously anticipating this game for some time back, to decide the much mooted question of superiority, and this interest has been much magnified by the result of several recent games in which both clubs have been somewhat worsted. The day was most admirably suited for the contest, and the members of the respective nines made their appearance on the grounds promptly, full of life and seemingly anxious for the contest. The friends of the Empire Club were in high expectations of success, based upon the fact that they had strengthened their nine by the addition of H. Noerr as catcher, who, it was fully believed, was a "power" in himself and would add very materially to their success; while on the other hand, the Union Club, relying on the ability of their oft-tried veterans, and gaining fresh courage from the unexpected defeat of their adversaries last week in the Fair Association matches, exhibited every manifestation of confidence in victory.

The game opened by the Empires at the bat, and the quick style in which the Unions handled the ball betokened that they meant "business," as they allowed the Empires but two runs, when they took five to themselves, which were made, however, through indifferent fielding of the Empires. On the second inning the Empires made four runs; Union three; score standing eight to six in favor of the Unions, which difference was equalized on the third inning by the Empires treating their opponents to a "white wash," and adding two to their own score. At this time the liveliest enthusiasm was manifested in the game, and there was every reason to suppose it would be the most closely contested game of the season. At the end of the 4th innings the score stood 13 to 11. Unions still ahead, but the fine fielding of the Empires gave promise to their friends of a successful result, which hope was largely increased in the 5th innings, by the Unions taking "white wash" No. 2 - though the Empires succeeded in adding but one to their own score. On the 6th innings the Empires were accommodated with a round 0 in one, two, three order, followed by some very heavy batting of the Unions, which added 8 to their runs - score 21 to 12 in favor of the Union. Owing to the lateness of the day but two more innings were played in which the Empire Club were able to add but one to their score, while the Unions counted six - the score standing 27 for the Unions, 13 for the Empire.

...The result of the game gives the championship of the State to the Union Club who are well worthy of it, and the Empire Club who have for a long time borne such a high reputation in Base Ball circles, must acknowledge that they have been fairly and squarely beaten, and that, too, at big odds. The reasons of this are very evident, and must be plainly seen by themselves; and it is somewhat surprising that a club of their age should profit so little by their experience.

-Missouri Republican, October 15, 1868

When I started going through the 1868 season, I would have sworn that the Empires won the championship that year but I was wrong. At my age, you would think that I'm used to being wrong but sometimes it comes as a surprise.

Tobias wrote the following about the 1868 champion Union Club in The Sporting News on November 30, 1895:

The record of the Union Club for the season of 1868 in which it held the state championship is here given. The clubs they defeated were the Atlantic, Empire, Union, Jr., Athletic, National, Mutual and Battle of St. Louis and the Kaw Valley of Lawrence. They were defeated by the Athletics of Philadelphia, Atlantics of Brooklyn, Cincinnati, Buckeye, Union of Morrisania, and Excelsior of Chicago twice. In these games they scored a total of 427 runs to their opponents 433...Those who took part in five or more games were Berning, Cabanne, Carr, Duncan, Easton, Freeman, Greenleaf, Lucas, Oran, A.W. Smith, Turner and Yore.

We find the following in the Chicago Tribune, and for the fair fame and name of our St. Louis B.B. Clubs we hope it is not correct:

Mr. Budd, of the Excelsiors, who played with the nine in St. Louis last week, returned home yesterday. He reports that, on the arrival of the Excelsiors at East St. Louis, they found no one to receive them, and that they were obliged to find a hotel as best they might alone and unaided. After locating at the Everett House, they were still left alone by the ball-players of the city, until finally an omnibus was engaged to take them out to the Fair Grounds. Arrived at that place, they were refused admission, although dressed in uniform, and were compelled to purchase tickets before they could obtain admittance. They found the Unions, of St. Louis, on the grounds, having already had the impudence to demand of the management the prize, stating that the Excelsiors would not put in an appearance, and basing their claims to the prize on the fact that they had defeated all other clubs. When the crowd in attendance beheld the Excelsiors coming, they set up such a shout as the old Fair Grounds had never heard before, and in a short time the members of the club which had endeavored to step in and steal the prize found themselves beaten by the Chicagos boys by a score of 27 to 9. It seems the Unions were not satisfied with this defeat; for, upon insisting that the Excelsiors should remain over and play another game, they were beaten on yesterday by a score of 47 to 10. This afternoon, the Excelsiors play the Bloomington Club, and will arrive home again on Wednesday morning.

-Missouri Republican, October 15, 1868

If this account is true, the behavior of the St. Louis baseball fraternity was inexcusable. This was not how you treated a visiting baseball club in 1868. Now, things were changing and the old social activities between matched clubs were going by the wayside, but, if true, this was rather disgraceful.

The problem is that the St. Louis baseball fraternity didn't much care for the Excelsiors and their dislike of the club goes back to the Bloomington tournament of September 1866, when the Empires were, they felt, cheated out of a victory by the Excelsiors. Given the history between the Excelsiors and the St. Louis clubs, I'm surprised they were even invited to this tournament.

The most ardent devotee of out-door sports, and of base ball play in particular, could not possibly have chosen a more desirable or more auspicious day than yesterday proved for the return match game between the Union Club, of this city, and the Excelsiors, of Chicago. A bright, clear autumn day, with its cool, bracing air, mellowed by a soft, genial sun, presented the very best occasion for a base ball match; and so seemed to feel, evidently, the members of the two opposing clubs as they made their appearance on the grounds of the St. Louis Base Ball Park, full of life and activity, and apparently "eager for the fray." The Excelsiors carried themselves with a cool, easy and graceful air, which did not fail to convey to the looker-on a sense of confidence in success; while, on the other hand, the excited and hasty manner of the Unions indicated an unfavorable result for them.

The number of spectators was not so large as could be expected and would have been much greater, no doubt, had it not been for the great attractions at the Fair Grounds. Those present, however, manifested much interest throughout the entire game, which commenced at 15 minutes past 3 o'clock by the Union Club being sent to the bat and retiring with a round "0."

The Excelsiors played their turn on the willow to the extent of thirteen, much to the surprise of every one and to that of the Unions exceedingly, which was not lessened on the second inning by the Union making one to the Excelsiors seven - the score standing twenty to one in favor of the Excelsiors! Here, all felt that the result of the game was determined; but the friends of the Union Club still hoped the per centage might be reduced somewhat. On the part of the Union Club, Messrs. Lucas, Oran and Carr are to be credited with some good fielding. The batting of the Union Club was very weak, and easily handled by the Excelsiors. Of the Excelsiors it can be truly said to their praise, that they displayed some of the heaviest batting and some of the finest fielding that has been exhibited in our city. At fielding they were perfect, or nearly so, only two muffs being recorded against them. Their manner of "snatching" ground balls is worthy of emulation by our St. Louis clubs, and on fly balls they were a "dead shot." One fault we had to find is with their pitcher, Lex, who does not pitch true to rules - whether intentional or not we cannot say; he does not pitch, but gives an underhand throw. If we mistake not, this same objection has been urged against him on former occasions. Certain it is that he does not pitch. It would be useless to follow the game through all its innings, as it was so entirely one-sided as to afford but little interest. The Union Club were unfortunate in having friends who flattered them into the belief that they might successfully compete with the Excelsiors, who number among them several professional players, and this, too, in the face of the defeat which they suffered last week.

In base ball, personal feelings should be entirely discarded, and the best players selected to fill up a nine; and we attribute this bad defeat of the Union Club to a lack of judgment in the selection and disposition of the players. Certain it is that the Union Club have the material in their club, but it is not properly handled. That they are competent of far better playing than this game with the Excelsior's shows we are confident, and hope the Union Club will find occasion to prove our word true before the season closes.

-Missouri Republican, October 13, 1868

The final score was 47-10.

The author of this article was very close to identifying the problem that St. Louis clubs had against the best clubs in the nation but didn't follow his thinking through to its logical conclusion. He notes what the Excelsior pitcher was doing but doesn't note that this was a trend in baseball that the St. Louis clubs weren't adapting to. The biggest difference between the best clubs in the country and the St. Louis clubs was, at this time, the difference in the quality of the pitching. The St. Louis clubs simply couldn't handle the swift pitching that they faced when playing the best clubs. They didn't have anything like that to throw against the best clubs. So what you would get is games like this where the St. Louis club didn't hit while, at the same time, their pitchers were getting smacked around.

Another thing the article mentions is professional players. Now, the top St. Louis clubs were, at this time, compensating their players. And they would use that compensation to entice a good St. Louis player, like, for example, Tom Oran, to join the club. But what they weren't doing was seeking the best players from around the country or even the region. The author states that the best players should be selected for the nine but the St. Louis clubs weren't doing that. They were merely selecting the best players they could get in St. Louis and, really, they weren't even doing that to a great extent. You see guys who played for the Empires or the Unions for ten years, through the 1860s and into the 1870s. There was still this sense of a baseball club being a fraternal, social club rather than an instrument built to win baseball games. Asa Smith played for the Unions not because he was one of the best players the club could find but because he was one of the founders of and an officer of the club. He was very popular within the Union Club and nobody was going to take his position away from him and give to some hired mercenary. The Union Club would rather stop playing baseball rather than hire a bunch of outsiders to play for them. And that's exactly what they would do in 1870.

St. Louis had been a hot-bed of baseball activity during the Civil War and, during the first half of the 1860s, there was probably more baseball played in the city than anywhere else in the nation, except for New York. But as the decade was winding down, baseball in St. Louis had stagnated and was not adapting to national trends. I've always believed, and often stated, that Smith and the Union Club had made attempts to adapt to these trends in the second half of the 1860s. You see the building of enclosed ballparks, the compensation of players, the scheduling of better competition, the creation of a state association, clubs joining the National Association, etc. But this attempt to drag St. Louis baseball into the national mainstream - to modernize the game in the city - simply did not bear fruit in the late 1860s. It was a failure. It was a disaster that led to defeat upon defeat and to an extreme diminishment in the popularity of the game in St. Louis.

I would argue, and I think I am arguing, that the St. Louis clubs simply didn't go far enough in this attempt to modernize the game in the city. They needed to go out and hire better ballplayers. They needed to find pitchers who weren't simply going to "pitch" but who could be the primary component of team defense. They needed to accept the fact that the role of a baseball club was to win baseball games and not to provide a social outlet for its members. Eventually, they'd figure this all out but it would take another six years.

Big Base Ball Match To-Day. - Chicago vs. St. Louis. The friends of our Union Club, confident that they can beat the Excelsiors, have arranged for another game to take place on the Base Ball Park grounds this afternoon. The Union nine will be stronger than last Thursday, and we predict for them a victory.